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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1972-08-30, Page 12WEEKLY SALE BRUSSELS STOCKYARDS LTD. EVERY FRIDAY AT 12-NOON Phone 887-6461 Brussels, Ont. Huron The Honourable W.DareylVie- KVOUgh was On the hot seat at a special session Of Huron County Council Monday afternoon and the subject was regional goy,- eminent. Accompanied by Hon. C.S. IVIactiaughton, MPP for Huron, McKeough arrived later than an- ticipated by council and gave meinbers an opportunity to dis- cuss what they believed to be the implications of McKeough's June statement on Design for Develop- ment Phase Three. It also gave members time to formulate good questions which made for an in- formative session. The main questions in the minds of most county councillors were whether regional govern- ment was coming, when it was coming and how it would affect Huron County. McKeough told council mem- bers he could not provide direct answers to those questions at this time. He said that his June statement had covered three to- pics - the regional development program, reforming tax needs and restructuring local govern- ment. The Minister said that a tar- get date of 1975 had been set for the completion of data -gathering which would point the way to the future. McKeough's June statement went this way: "It is our goal that everyone in the province will have a good idea of the direction local government is going by 1975. I want to make it clear that this does not mean it will be possible to have legislated all those reforms by that date." McKeough told Huron coun- cillors that a "restructured map" of the province would have to be drawn up before any mun- icipality can know the possible boundaries of their region. He said it would be unwise to formu- late tentative boundaries at this point since there could be "areas left over unless somebody devel- ops a whole map." He did reiterate his plan to develop five regions in the pro- vince rather than 10. McKeough said that during the past five years, many, many politicians and lay people throughout Ontario had come to realize that "the world is bigger than our own back yard." In the past, McKeough said, regional development councils had been charged with the res- ponsibility to "develop a com- mon point of view." He said he saw the five proposed regions as a method by which to "streng- then the role of local govern- ment" because the 10 former regions were to be replaced with What he Liked to term "the group of10', - 70 municipalities within most municipal Politicians seem Am, 4ttgoon$. to prefer to let government make 4f Tfie largest single input into the necessary changes* the Design for Development pko- "Then they can blame it on gram, will come from this group McKeough," retorted the minis- Of 70 gh , the minister said. ter. Keou At this juncture, Mr. Mc- ReeYe Charles Thomas of Indicated to council that. Grey told the minister that on the government was interested two occasions, the county of Hur- to hear froM the "private sec- on has asked to he named region ter" of citizens as well as "poi. and then move to some consoli- iticians, retired politicians and dations Within the region. defeated politicians." "Why have we been ignored?" Reeve Thomas asked,, Mr. McKeough answered that it was necessary to formulate a map for the entire province be- fore any regions were establish- ed. "We wanted to slow the pro- cess down and catch our breath," he continued. "Is it possible for Huron. Cpunty to become a region?" asked Thomas. "If you want a quick answer. it is not, " answered Mr. McKeough. "You don't meet the population criteria. You can't afford the services. A study has to be made. You have to take a look at outer boundaries as well as inner boundaries. The minister further indica- ted that the boundaries for mun- icipalities set up 100 years ago need not remain the same for- ever. Gerry Ginn, deputy-reeve of Goderich Township, asked. Mr. McKeough if consideration was being given to the method of taxing farmland. He was told that a new system of farm taxa- tion was expected about the same time as the new assessment - probably 1974. Reeve Ginn also asked why money for certain "people" ser- vices such as health welfare, library, could not be raised on a per capita basis rather than on an assessment basis. "I'm afraid that some good projects are going to be turned down in Huron because taxes are raised on an assessment basis, not on a per capita basis," Reeve Ginn added. Mr. McKeough answered that the general trend now in provin- cial government is to assess grants to the municipalities on an assessment basis rather than on a per capita basis as in the past. McKillop' s Reeve Allan Campbell asked about the In- creased cost for larger units of administration. "When any outfit goes bigger, it costs more,'" Reeve Campbell said."why? It is supposed, to be mormerromhecTeigoaulg.h” claimed he might be "over-simplifying" the sgiotuvaetrino, mnehnuttuhneitcsocmf aa dr emdi rs lagirear tion to supermarkets. He said that most women no longer shop at the corner store because the supermarkets can give better prices, better quality, fresher produce and wider varie- ty. "People are demanding more and more services and the cost of government has gone up in the same way that the cost of food or anything else has gone up," he said. "I shop at the corner store and so does my wife," retorted Reeve Campbell. "And the prices don't vary that much from the supermarket." Reeve Bill Elston of Morris Township complained to Mr.Mc- Keough about the new county boards of education. He said these units were too far away from the people, that the opera- tions of the school board are be- ing directed by civil servants and that costs are too high for the value being received in educa- tion. "It is Just no good," Reeve Elston stated. i‘I really can't agree," an- Swered AlcKeongh. It was six o'clock before the discussion came to an end. Din- ner was served at the Bedford Hotel for county councillors and their guests. Your Hearing? Chicago, Ill.—A free offer of special interest to those who hear but do not understand words has been announced by Beltone. A non-operating model of the smallest Beltone aid eve' made will be given absolutely free to anyone answering this advertisement. Try it to see how it is worn in the privacy of your own home without cost or obligation of any kind. It's yours to keep, free. It weighs less than a third of an ounce, and it's all at ear level, in one unit. No wires lead from body to head. These models are free, so we suggest you write for yours now. Again, we repeat, there is no cost, and certainly no obligation. Write to Dept. 5251, Beltone Electronics, 3637 Metropolitan Blvd., E., Montreal 38, P. Q. a Mr. McKeough touched on the Toronto-Centred Region con- cept which is a plan to divert some of the congestion of popula- tion as well as business and in- dustry away from Toronto to the Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie and Port Colborne areas in particu- lar. The Minister indicated that such growth cannot take place too far out of the Toronto district because the Queen City is the base for business and industry and development will radiate ar- ound the base before spreading to the outer-reaches of the pro- vince. Mr. McKeough said he be- lieved his government set goals which were "realistic and not impractical." Reeve Elgin Thompson of Tuckersmith asked the minister if he could provide any idea of the size of the regions he was pro- posing. Mr. McKeough answered that the provincial aims and ob- jectives of 1968 had not changed. and -that ideally, a region would comprise 150,000 to 200,000 peo- ple. He said such a population base would be necessary to afford the kinds of services required by the kind of region proposed for Ontario. Lower-tier government McKeough said, should encom- pass from 8,000 to 10,000 per- sons. He pointed out that at this size, a municipality could provide "some pretty good staff". Reeve Jack Alexander of wingham asked whether the pro- vincial government would ap- prove the amalgamation of mun- icipalities within Huron. with a broad smile, Mr. Mc- Keough told council that "most consolidation talk has come to nothing " so far. He said that Ontario has 900 municipalities, probably three times as many as there should be. "The answer is yes,;" Mr. McKeough went on, "we'l be de- lighted if some of these consol- idations are worked out." He added that almost every- one is agreed that police villages should be phased out. "But how many municipalities have made a move to get rid of their own, he asked. He added that • reeves press ,McKeough for answers e The footbone's connected to the headbone. Think about it. When you play tennis, you wear tennis shoes.When you walk, you wear good walking shoes. And when you work you wear proper footwear for comfort and protection. Take a good look at your shoes. Make sure they're not getting run down at the heel. Change fraying laces. And check the soles to see that they're in good condition. Sure footwork begins with proper footwear. The sure way to safety is Self-Defence. Milk's a True Friend The true honest-to-goodness taste of milk never lets you down when you are in the mood for a delicious pick-me-up or a cool treat. Try it! SEAL PURE miLK and Quality Chek'd Distributed by HURON FOOD PRODUCTS LTD. Rivssels Phone 887-6872 Your Workmen's Compensation Board and The Safety Associations, Ontario • 12—THE BRUSSELS POST, AUGUST 30, 1972